American Health Care Consumers Should Have Access to Drugs and Devices Benefitting People in Other Developed Countries

Jeffrey A. SingerSwiss Medtech, a trade association representing the medical technology industry, issued a press release on November 28 praising the Swiss Parliament for enacting legislation allowing Swiss health care providers and patients to access medical devices approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Until now, the Swiss government only permitted patients and doctors to access devices that have a CE Marking, which indicates the device meets European Union standards, and the E.U. approves it for marketing among member states. The Swiss Parliament ’s action should expand access and increase price competition for medical devices.Australia began permitting patients and doctors to access FDA ‐​approved medical devices in 2018 and has been allowing them to use E.U.-approved devices for several years. Israel allows devices approved in theU.S., E.U., Australia, and Canada.U.S. lawmakers have proposed legislation permitting American health care consumers and providers to access drugs and/ ​or devices approved in other developed countries. Policymakers inaptly refer to the proposal as “reciprocity,” but the reform is not contingent upon the other countries permitting their residents to use FDA‐​approved drugs or devices in return.Intestimony before the Joint Economic Committee in September 2020, I stated:Congress should pass legislation givingreciprocal approval to drugs and medical devices (which includes tests) in similar countries....
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs